Custard proves the fact that here breed are great for meat as well as eggs! She is a monster! |
Putting 2 and 2 together I jumped to the conclusion that Custard must have been attacked or taken by something. A fox maybe?
My panic did not last long fortunately, as within 3 foot of the house and run, out popped 2 happy hens from their coop, Custard and Pudding!!!
I have no idea why Custard has decided to loose so many feathers, she does have a tendency to pull out her feathers on her underside. She has never gone broody. Perhaps her size means she overheats?
After that little episode I want to avoid as much excitement as possible today!
I have been asked recently how the chicks are doing. Well, here are the latest photos. They appear to be growing well, but I don't really have anything to compare them to as I have never raised Bantams before.
Wyandotte chicks, Pinky and Perky at 3 weeks and 4 days. |
I bought dried meal worms the other day. The hens go mad for them and seem to sit bolt up right like a little like a dog waiting for a treat. I dropped a few in for the chicks and Treacle was keen to show them how to eat them. So keen she did not eat any for herself! The following day in the afternoon I gave them a little more, this time Treacle got stuck in but still ensured the chicks had enough. What a mummy!
I am struggling a little at the moment with lack of eggs. Treacle for obvious reasons is not laying, Custard my 4 year old sussex, is to be fair knocking on a little for a hen, and whilst in previous winters she has laid quite well, it appears this autumn and winter is going to be a lean one for her. Pudding, the bluebell, appears to be in moult or just coming out of a moult. She is looking a little "rough around the edges" and has lost some feathers around her neck. I have been checking for mites but can not see any so I am fairly sure it is a moult. She does lay the odd egg, but it is probably only one every 4-5 days if I'm lucky.
picture from life-guard.co.uk |
Thanks for reading!
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